Penalty
by Magic Kaito
Summary: Goten thinks he's going to jail, and Gohan can't figure out why. What did Goten do?


Penalty

AN: I don't own Dragonball Z.

There, straight and to the point! I'm sick of failing at being creative.

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Gohan was, as usual, studying. The Son household was very quiet; Chi Chi was cooking and not planning to kill anyone, Goten was in his room playing quietly for some reason, and the 18 year old could finally concentrate on his Advanced Calculus homework. It was a beautiful day outside, perfect for... staying inside and... studying.

"I can't take this!" he exclaimed. "It's too quiet and it's too nice outside! I just can't focus! I'll do my homework later!" 'Later,' as with any teenager, of course means 'I won't do it.' Gohan, although ready to go out and enjoy the weather, decided to sit in his room for a little bit longer to make sure that his mother didn't catch on to his procrastination (AN: Trust me, it works, I do it all the time).

He lay down on his bed and put his hands behind his head and let his mind wander. Just a few minutes should do it, then he'd be free to enjoy the day and do his homework when later came around. He slowly lost touch with reality, almost with time itself, and may have spent hours daydreaming, if it weren't for the fact that a strange, muffled squeal snapped him back into attention. Gohan, having no idea what that sound could have been, disregarded it and looked at his clock.

It had all ready been an hour. "Wow, I must have really spaced off!" he exclaimed, closing his book (which had been left open just in case Chi Chi were to come up and check on him) and getting ready to go downstairs and out the door. However, he only made it two steps before he was knocked over by a speeding object that hit him on his left.

Once Gohan had managed to pick himself up, he looked to see what the source of this attack was, though he didn't really need to. Goten was sprawled across his brother's side, rubbing his head and trying to stand up without being noticed.

"What's up, squirt?" Gohan said, causeing Goten to magically jump up and move with his back facing the opposite wall.

"Nothing," he replied quickly, his eyes darting from side to side as if he was looking for something he didn't want anyone to know about.

"So, what were you doing, then?" Gohan asked, eyeing him suspiciously in that joking, big brotherly way.

"It wasn't me!" Goten screamed, his eyes widening as he backed against the wall more, shielding his hands. "I didn't do it! I was with you doing homework!"

"Calm down," Gohan quickly interrupted, wondering what in Kami's name (which is Dende) was wrong with his little brother. "What didn't you do?"

"If I didn't do it, why should I tell you!" the nervous seven year old quickly exclaimed. "I was with you, remember? Doing your homework."

"Advanced Calculus, huh?" Gohan replied with a grin on his face.

"Yeah, like 3 times 3 equals 6."

Gohan stifled a laugh. "Yep, you sure were helping me," Gohan replied. "But what were you _really_ doing?" he whispered, leaning down to the ear level of the child. "You know, just so I can cover in case Mom or whoever you're scared of shows up."

"NOTHING!" Goten screamed, causing Gohan to fly backwards into the wall next to his bedroom due to the loud noise on an animated show (AN: I would have said cartoon, but I know you would have killed me).

"What are you boys up to!" Chi Chi called, getting ready to come upstairs if nessecary, her hand ready on the hilt of her Almighty Frying Pan of Death.

"Nothing, Mom!" Goten replied quickly, while Gohan magically peeled himself off the unmarked wall.

"Gohan, have you finished your homework!"

"Erg... yes, Mom!" the teen answered.

"All right, but if I hear anymore strange sounds, I'm coming up."

"We're just fine!" Goten screamed, Gohan covering his ears to save them from any more stress. "Don't come up!"

"Why? What are you two doing?"

"Nothing!"

"Well, I'm going to check anyway."

Goten started making a really strange face. "Why! I told you not to!"

"Exactly," Chi Chi replied, her footsteps ever nearing her sons' position.

Gohan, realizing that Goten looked like he was about to jump out of his skin, covered his scared brother's mouth and said, "He's just goofing around, Mom! No need to worry! Now, why don't you finish polishing your frying pans, or whatever it was you were doing! You don't need to waste your pecious time on nothing!"

Chi Chi thought for a minute, as she was about to head up the stairs. "Okay, but, again, if I hear anything strange I'm coming up, got it!"

"Yeah, sure Mom!"

Chi Chi's footsteps grew softer as she headed back toward the kitchen, and Gohan released Goten. The seven year old knealed down to catch his breath, and then turned to his big brother, saying, "Nice save."

"Thanks," Gohan replied. "What did I save you from?"

"NOTH... I'm mean, nothing...!" Goten answered, making an odd face where the exclamation point should have been causing Gohan to outwardly chuckle at his brother. The kid could be pretty weird sometimes.

"You're really intent on this 'nothing' that you were doing," Gohan said, looking down at Goten to make sure that his brother understood that he knew that this "nothing" was "something". "Are you _sure_ that nothing was going on?"

"...Yes," Goten answered, knowing that he was caught but trying to delay the moment as much as possible.

Just then, they heard the sound of police sirens, which was odd because they lived in the middle of no where. Gohan instantly assumed that his mother was listening to the radio or something, however, Goten jumped about a mile into the air and leapt behind Gohan and up onto his shoulders.

"Hide me!" the chibi exclaimed. "They've found out!"

"What are you talking about, squirt? Mom's just..."

"Remember, I was doing your homework!"

"Goten, Mom's gonna..."

"Forget her and worry about this! I'm gonna go to jail if you don't tell them about me being with you!"

Gohan was getting really worried about his brother by this point. "Goten, just listen to me. Mom is probably listening to the radio or something. I doubt that..."

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" the seven year old screamed. "How was I supposed to..."

"GOTEN, CALM DOWN!" Gohan was finally forced to scream, throwing his brother, who had tears welling up in his eyes, down to the floor.

The sound of the sirens abruptly stopped as Chi Chi came pounding up the stairs after the outbursts from her children. "What's going on!" she screamed as she came upon this strange scene. "You two are yelling about something, Goten's in tears, and two police cars just pulled up to the house..."

"NO!" Goten screamed, grabbing his older brother's leg. "I didn't do it, I swear!"

"What are you talking about?" his mother asked.

"... Nothing."

Gohan decided that maybe it would be easier to figure out what was going on if his mother were to leave. "Hey, Mom," he said, trying to look downstairs out the front windows, "why don't you go see why the police are here this time and I'll calm him down, okay?"

Chi Chi had one of those scowls on her face. One of the ones where you must agree with her or else face her wrath, which included food restictions and double frying pan attacks. "Fine," she said, "but I want a full report or else!"

Gohan swallowed hard. "Yes, Mother!"

Goten looked up fearfully as Chi Chi headed to the door. "Don't tell Mom, all right, big brother?" Gohan fell on his side with his legs sticking up in the air while Goten continued to stare at where he once had been.

Gohan quickly picked himself up. "Just... tell me what happened and I'll see about telling Mom or not."

"You have to swear you won't tell her anything if I tell you."

Gohan sighed. This just wasn't going to be his day, and he could feel it. "Goten, please, I'd like to eat again sometime this month..."

"Don't tell!"

"...Fine! But you have to sneek me food, or else I'm telling!"

"Deal!"

"So, what happened that's making you afraid of the police."

"Nothing!"

"GOTEN!"

"I just... I can't... where's the glue?"

"What are you talking about!" Gohan exclaimed.

"Well, I can't sew, so I was wondering..."

"Why do you need the glue?"

"... No reason..."

"Goten, you have to stop doing this!" Gohan said. "Just give me a straight answer."

"I don't wanna go to jail!"

"Really?" they heard a female's voice say by the door. "Well, thanks, Officer! Go right ahead!"

"No!" Goten screamed, running into Gohan's room and hiding under his covers. As he lept away, a torn piece of fabric fell on the floor where he had once sat.

"What's this," Gohan said, as he bent down to pick it up.

"Oh no!" Goten said, noticing what his brother was doing and rushing back out to stop him.

Gohan, however, had all ready picked up the cloth in questions and was holding it just above jumping level of his little brother, reading the writing aloud.

"Don't do it, please Gohan!" Goten pleaded as he realized that he could never reach it, forgetting that he could fly.

"The Sleep-Well Mattress Company," the 18 year old said aloud. "Do not remove this tag under penalty of law...? Is this what you were worried about!"

Just then, Videl walked up stairs. "Hey, Gohan. My plane broke down so I caught a lift from a couple of police officers. What's going on?" She said this because Gohan was laughing his head off and Goten looked like he was getting ready to be executed.

"Goten," Gohan finally said, not noticing Videl. "Nobody cares about this! It's just for the retailors! You won't go to jail for ripping the tag off your mattress!"

"Are you sure?" the seven year old asked, with a glint of hope in his eyes.

"Yes!" Gohan answered. "That's nothing, kid! I can't believe you were worried about being arrested because you ripped the tag off the mattress! I did that years ago and completely ignored it!"

"He did what?" Videl said, looking over Gohan's shoulders at the tag, scaring the two boys half to death.

"Videl!"he exclaimed. "When did you get here!"

"I all ready told you, I got a ride from the police!" she replied.

"Oh, hi Videl!" Goten exclaimed. "Do you think I won't go to jail?"

"Well, um," she began, "actually, I think you can..."

"What!" the seven year old exclaimed, rushing back under Gohan's covers.

"I was just kidding!" she called, but the boy was lost in his fear.

"So," Gohan began once they were sure Goten wouldn't be coming out for a while. "What's up?"

The End

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AN: I know this was sort of a thing that Candyland does, but hey I was inspired! Tell me what ya think! 


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